


On your side

by NicoleCollard



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, First Kiss, JBO 100000 posts celebration, Post-Season/Series 07
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-23 11:23:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14331399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicoleCollard/pseuds/NicoleCollard
Summary: When Brienne is under pressure, the last thing she needs is for Jaime to scold her.





	On your side

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aerest](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aerest/gifts).



> I wrote this fic for the JBO 100,000 posts celebration. I got the prompt "I know this may be hard to believe, but I'm on your side" and I came up with this. Not my best story, but I hope it works for you.
> 
> I gift this to Aerest because she's the kindest and most patient person ever. Thanks for your altruistic help.
> 
> Enjoy!

Jaime Lannister had never liked listening through the doors. It was Cersei the one who did it when they were kids in Casterly Rock, and Cersei the one who kept doing it when they started living in King's Landing, either doing it herself or sending her little maids to listen in her stead. Even Tyrion had developed an early taste for spying on others.

But Jaime had always been different. Mayhaps it was because he had never been as interested in politics as his siblings were, but he had never felt the need to know intrigues in advance to plot his way out of them.

Yes, it might be all interest, after all. Because listening through the door was what he was doing right now. He had his ear pressed right against the wooden board of Sansa's chamber door in Winterfell. The Stark girl had sent for Brienne while she and Jaime were in the middle of an intense sparring session, and he had decided to follow her after putting away their swords in the armoury. Jaime had realised the Maid of Tarth preferred to keep the state of her relationship with Sansa and the rest of the Starks to herself. He suspected it was because none of them treated Brienne very well, and she wanted to avoid Jaime's inevitable rants on the matter.

So when he saw from a distance that Brienne was allowed into Lady Sansa's chamber, Jaime left his hiding place and decided to listen to their conversation, just to make sure he was right about his suspicions. Brienne's well-being mattered so much to him. And, after a few minutes of listening, he saw things clearly: though Jaime couldn't make out every single word the women were saying behind the door, it was enought for him to confirm that the exchange was a little uneven. Sansa kept speaking and cutting off Brienne's replies whenever she wanted with that cold attitude of hers, while the Maid's contributions were always incredibly polite and respectful. Jaime balled up his only fist, his blood boiling inside his veins.

Suddenly, he heard steps coming to the door and he jumped back. When Brienne opened it, she immediately noticed Jaime's presence right in front of her. She opened her beautiful eyes in surprise and closed the door quickly behind her back.

“Were you listening through the door?”, she asked frowning.

“Of course I wasn't, wench. Where's the honour in that?”, Jaime asked innocently. “I was waiting for you, just in case you felt like resuming our training session.”

“Oh, hm... I'm sorry, Ser Jaime, but...”, she stuttered and started walking. “I'm tired and...”

Brienne had never been a good liar and Jaime realised right away that she was just trying to make up an excuse. He fell into step with her and sent her a sideways glance.

“She told you not to waste your talent and energy with a cripple, didn't she?”, Jaime said with the softest voice he could find in his throat.

Brienne gasped and blushed. Without looking at Jaime, she scolded him. “You told me you weren't listening!”

Then she sighed and rubbed her forehead in frustration. Jaime could see the pain reflected in her face. They fell silent and didn't talk for a while, their steps the only noises that resounded in the long stony corridor.

“You shouldn't let that brat treat you like that”, Jaime said softly at some point.

“That brat, like you call her, gave you shelter and granted you your life when you arrived here.”

“Because I'm of good use to the Starks with the Great War coming. I owe them nothing, Brienne. And neither do you.”

“I vowed to protect Lady Sansa”, the woman insisted. “And that's what I'm doing.”

Jaime shook his head. “Don't you see they way she treats you? She doesn't think you're her equal. She talks to you as if you were a mere servant, which you are not. Brienne, you're a highborn lady, the only heir of Tarth. You deserve better than this.”

Then Brienne spun around in the middle of the empty corridor to face him, frowning. “Better? This is the best I can expect from life, Ser Jaime. Being a sworn sword is all I can ask for. I'm not worth anything else.”

Jaime hated when Brienne underestimated her own value. He hated when she didn't dare to dream bigger. He hated that she kept calling him Ser Jaime. “That's not true, my lady. You should-”

“I'm no lady!”, she cut him off. “And, by the way, as an ally, you're supposed to help me here, not being a burden.”

Jaime clenched his jaw and swallowed down his next reply. He knew Brienne was under so much pressure these days, as everyone was, and he didn't want to be a problem, not for her, at least. They needed to fight together, not each other.

“Brienne, I know this may be hard to believe, but I'm on your side”, he finally said, his tiredness pretty obvious in his tone.

“Show it sometimes, then!”, she demanded and closed her eyes in exhaustion.

Then Jaime stepped closer, took her by the waist with his stump and, without thinking twice, he kissed her right on the lips. The contact was sweet but meaningful, a true statement. Brienne's first impulse was to push him away, but after a few seconds, she ended up relaxing in Jaime's arms. The warmth of his body managed to calm her down somehow. When they pulled apart, the look in her eyes was full of uncertainty, so she searched for Jaime's gaze immediately just to be sure his kiss was honest and not a joke. He brought his left hand to her face and stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers without letting go of her waist.

“Is this proof enough for you?”, Jaime asked against Brienne's lips. “I've been on your side almost since the very moment you crossed my path. I lost a hand, confessed my most secret truth, jumped into a bearpit and even left my sister because of you. I will always be on your side if you let me. You are my refuge, Brienne, and I would like you to be my home, too.”

“Jaime...”, was the only word she managed to articulate.

“You are worth a hundred Sansas, my lady. Marry me and let me be the protector of your high value, since you seem too humble to defend it. I know I don't have much to offer you, but loving you openly with all my heart is something I can do.”

“Yes”, Brienne said after a moment of hesitation, her eyes becoming true oceans all of a sudden. Then she nodded with the force of a storm. “Yes.”

She threw her arms around Jaime's neck and hugged him tightly, laughing and crying at the same time. Although she wasn't one for weeping, she was suddenly unable to hold back tears. Jaime held her and stroked her short, blonde hair. After a while, he felt a shiver run down his spine when he heard Brienne's low voice in his ear.

“Having you on my side is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I want to be on yours for the rest of my days.”

And, at that very moment, Jaime knew this woman was the true love of his life.

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a little review to let me know what you think. Thanks for reading! ^^


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